diff --git a/tmux-menu.template.sh b/tmux-menu.template.sh
index 491ed9f..d6b9459 100755
--- a/tmux-menu.template.sh
+++ b/tmux-menu.template.sh
@@ -1,22 +1,25 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 #===============================================================================
 #
-#          FILE: tmux-menu.sh
-# 
-#         USAGE: ./tmux-menu.sh <session-name>
-# 
-#   DESCRIPTION: A hack script I wrote to help me manage pre-defined 
-#                tmux-sessions
-# 
-#       OPTIONS: 
-#  REQUIREMENTS: tmux
-#         NOTES: the cool down arrows in line 43?  <ctrl-k> -v (see: digraphs)
-#        AUTHOR: C Hawley 
-#  ORGANIZATION: 
-#       CREATED: 2015-09
-#      REVISION: Mon 16 Oct 2017 05:28:00 PM EDT
+# CREATED : 2026-02-21
+# UPDATED :
+# USAGE   :
+# DESC    : Hack tmux session launcher.  Reads a YAML file to create a tmux #           session with multiple windows and commands.
+# NOTES   :
+# AUTHOR  : chawley
+#
 #===============================================================================
 
+# Path to the YAML configuration file
+TMUX_CONFIG_FILE="${HOME}/.config/tmux-menu/sessions.yaml"
+
+# Check for yq (YAML processor)
+if ! command -v yq &> /dev/null; then
+    echo "Error: 'yq' command not found."
+    echo "Please install yq (https://github.com/mikefarah/yq) to use this script."
+    echo "Example: 'sudo snap install yq' or 'brew install yq'"
+    exit 1
+fi
 # check for command line argument
 # Tips from:
 # http://stackoverflow.com/questions/7832080/test-if-a-variable-is-set-in-bash-when-using-set-o-nounset
@@ -40,50 +43,66 @@ if [ ! -z $TMUX ]; then
 	exit 1
 fi
 
-tcheck=$(tmux list-sessions | grep -c "${session}")  # check if session is active
 
-# if session is active, switch to it.  If not active but part of the list below,
-# create it.  Finally, if no session or undefined session is passed, give an
-# error message and list the active sessions
+# if session is active, switch to it.
+if tmux has-session -t "${session}" 2>/dev/null; then
+    echo "Session '${session}' already active. Attaching..."
+    tmux attach-session -t "${session}"
+    exit 0
+fi
 
-# sample session definition
-#
-# case $session in    
-#    analytics)                               # <- session name
-#        if [[ $tcheck == 0 ]]; then          # <- check if it's already running
-#          tmux new-session -d -s analytics   # <- if not, create it
-#          tmux rename-window 'localhost'     # <- rename the first window (local)
-#                                             # ↓↓ define additional windows ↓↓
-#          tmux new-window -t:1 -n 'lasis01' 'exec ssh lasis01'
-#          tmux new-window -t:2 -n 'lasis01dev' 'exec ssh lasis01dev'
-#          tmux new-window -t:3 -n 'ldssbox01' 'exec ssh ldssbox01'
-#          tmux new-window -t:4 -n 'lpdprod01' 'exec ssh lpdprod01'
-#          tmux new-window -t:5 -n 'ldatalake01' 'exec ssh ldatalake01'
-#          tmux new-window -t:6 -n 'lsandbox' 'exec ssh lsandbox'
-#        fi
-#        tmux attach-session -t analytics     # <- if window active, switch to it
-#        ;;
+# Check if the config file exists
+if [ ! -f "${TMUX_CONFIG_FILE}" ]; then
+    echo "Error: tmux session configuration file not found at '${TMUX_CONFIG_FILE}'."
+    echo "Please create it with your session definitions."
+    exit 1
+fi
 
+# Check if the requested session exists in the YAML file
+if ! yq e ".sessions.${session}" "${TMUX_CONFIG_FILE}" &> /dev/null; then
+    echo "### ERROR No Such Session ###"
+    echo "Usage: $(basename "$0") <session_name>"
+    echo "Available Sessions from '${TMUX_CONFIG_FILE}':"
+    echo "---------------------------------------"
+    yq e '.sessions | keys | .[]' "${TMUX_CONFIG_FILE}" 2>/dev/null || echo "No sessions defined."
+    echo ""
+    echo "Active tmux Sessions:"
+    echo "---------------------"
+    tmux list-sessions 2>/dev/null || echo "No active sessions."
+    exit 1
+fi
 
-case $session in
-    mine)
-        if [[ $tcheck == 0 ]]; then
-            tmux new-session -d -s mine
-            tmux rename-window 'local(aristotle)'
-            tmux new-window -t 1 -n 'root@vps' 'exec ssh root@vps.example.org'
-            tmux new-window -t:2 -n 'chawley@phaedrus' 'exec ssh chawley@phaedrus'
-            tmux new-window -t:3 -n 'chawley@homer' 'exec ssh chawley@homer.simpsons.net'
-        fi
-        tmux attach-session -t mine
-        ;;
+echo "Creating new session '${session}' from '${TMUX_CONFIG_FILE}'..."
 
-    # add more sessions here inside a case stanza.  Start with a session name and end with ';;'        
-    
-    *)
-        echo "### ERROR No Such Session ###"
-        echo "Usage: tm <session_name>"
-        echo "Active Sessions:"
-        echo "----------------"
-        tmux list-sessions
-        ;;
-esac
+# Get the number of windows for the session
+num_windows=$(yq e ".sessions.${session}.windows | length" "${TMUX_CONFIG_FILE}")
+
+if [[ "${num_windows}" -eq 0 ]]; then
+    echo "Error: Session '${session}' has no windows defined in '${TMUX_CONFIG_FILE}'."
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+# Create the first window (which also creates the session)
+first_window_name=$(yq e ".sessions.${session}.windows[0].name" "${TMUX_CONFIG_FILE}")
+first_window_command=$(yq e ".sessions.${session}.windows[0].command // \"\"" "${TMUX_CONFIG_FILE}")
+
+if [[ -z "${first_window_command}" ]]; then
+    tmux new-session -d -s "${session}" -n "${first_window_name}"
+else
+    tmux new-session -d -s "${session}" -n "${first_window_name}" "${first_window_command}"
+fi
+
+# Create subsequent windows
+for ((i=1; i<num_windows; i++)); do
+    window_name=$(yq e ".sessions.${session}.windows[${i}].name" "${TMUX_CONFIG_FILE}")
+    window_command=$(yq e ".sessions.${session}.windows[${i}].command // \"\"" "${TMUX_CONFIG_FILE}")
+
+    if [[ -z "${window_command}" ]]; then
+        tmux new-window -t "${session}:${i}" -n "${window_name}"
+    else
+        tmux new-window -t "${session}:${i}" -n "${window_name}" "${window_command}"
+    fi
+done
+
+# Attach to the newly created session
+tmux attach-session -t "${session}"
diff --git a/tmux-sessions.yaml b/tmux-sessions.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4f269db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tmux-sessions.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+---
+# tmux session definitions for tmux-menu.sh
+# Place this file at ~/.config/tmux-menu/sessions.yaml
+
+sessions:
+  mine:
+    windows:
+      - name: "local(aristotle)"
+        command: "" # Default to shell
+      - name: "root@vps"
+        command: "exec ssh root@vps.example.org"
+      - name: "chawley@phaedrus"
+        command: "exec ssh chawley@phaedrus"
+      - name: "chawley@homer"
+        command: "exec ssh chawley@homer.simpsons.net"
+  # Add more sessions here
+  # example_session:
+  #   windows:
+  #     - name: "local_shell"
+  #       command: ""
+  #     - name: "remote_server"
+  #       command: "ssh user@remote"